Mechanism for cutting the floating threads of lace and other fabrics.



M. 0. REHFUSS, A. BURGESS & J. G. REHFUSS. MECHANISM FOR CUTTING THE FLOATING THREADS 0P LACE AND OTHER FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1912.

1,103,838, Patented July 14, 1914.

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M. O. REHPUSS, A. BURGESS & J. G. REHFUSS'. MECHANISM FOR CUTTING THE FLOATING THREADS 0F LACE AND OTHER FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.1 2, 1912.

Patented July 14, 1914.

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MARTIN 0. REI'IFUSS, ARTHUR BURGESS, AND JOHN G. BEHFUSS, 0F PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR'CUTTING TI-IE FLOATING THREADS OF LACE AND OTHER FABRICS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1a, 1914.

Application filed February 12 1912 Serial No. 676,994.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, MARTIN O. RnHFUss, a citizen of the United States, ARTHUR BUR- cnss, a subject of the King of Great Britain The object of our invention is to provide a simple and effective mechanism for cutting and removingthe floating threads from the face of lace and like material.

In the making of certain types of lace the thread, in place of being out at each individual design, is floated over one face of the lace material during the process of manufacture and these floating threads, after the lace fabric has been completed, are removed, usually by a pair of scissors in the hands of an operator. This is a very tediousand costly operation.

By our invention the fabric is fed through a machine and stretched. This causes the floating threads to project slightly above the fabric and then, by the passage of a rotating knife over the surface of the fabric, the threads are not only severed but cut at the points where they join the fabric. Thus they are entirely removed, so that when the fabric leaves the machine it is free of floating threads.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1, is a side view of a machine illustrating our invention; Fig. 2, is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 3, is a detached perspective view showing the rotating cutters in the act of severing the floating threads; Fig. 4, is a vertical sectional view of the cutters; Fig. 5, is a plan view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, is an enlarged plan view of the cutters; Fig. 7, is a perspective view of one of the conveyer rails showing the manner of stretchingvthe ma-' terial; and Fig. 8, is a view of a hand cutter.

In the present instance, A is the frame having a transverse bar a on which is mounted a carrier B. This carrier is made in two parts and the parts can be moved toward orfrom each other by a screw shaft a. Each part of this carrier consists of two longitudinal tubular slotted rails 72, b and two wheels C, C mounted on shafts C, C.

One of these shafts may be a driven shaft and the wheels are so confined to the carrier that the sides of the carrier can be moved toward and from each other through the medium of the screw in the present instance, to accommodate laces of different width.

aare feed chains having pins 6'. The chains pass around the wheels U and through the tubular rails b, b. The pins extend through the slots in the rails and engage the fabric. The slot in the upper rail is curved at each end so that when the fabric is fed from the table A and is engaged b-ythe pins on the chain, it will be stretched as it moves over the rails, due to the curve of the slot, as clearly shown in Figs/2 and 7, so that,

when the knives are acting,the.material is ing from the essential features of the invention.

The peculiar form of chain forms the subject of an application for patent filed April 20, .1911, under Serial Number 622,361, therefore, we do not wishto claim it broadly in this application. I

D is a bar extending over the bed of the machine, and this bar is adapted to suitable bearings cZ' mounted on the frame A and is arranged, in the present instance, to slide transversely. d is an operating arm pivoted at d and connected to any suitable means for giving the bar a reciprocating motion.

Mounted on this bar are the cutter heads E and these cutter heads are vertically adjustable on the bar by means-of set screws 6, Fig. 4. In each bar there are four spindles F, in the present instance, each having a cutter F composed of a series of blades f sharpened at one side, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. These spindles pass through hollow shafts G and mounted on the hollow shafts are cutters G having blades 9, which are sharpened on one side and located directly above the blades f. In the present instance,

spindle G is a right anglegear g. The

gears of the opposite cutters mesh with one another so that one is driven in one direction and the other in the reverse direction and, in the present instance, N and M are two driving shafts having wheels mand a geared to the right angled gears f and g, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. I

On One endof the shaft N is a driving pulleya and on the end of the shaft M is a driving pulley m. These pulleys are belted toany suitable driving mechanism and the shaft M is driven at a greater speed than the shaft N so that the lower cutting blades'rotate-at a comparatively slow speed, while theupper blades rotate rapidly. By thisvmeansthe lower blades have time to passunder theloop of the floating threads and as soon as theypass under the loops of the upper blades, sever the thread. The threads arenot only severed but cut ofl at each end close to the fabric.

There may be as many heads E on the lloan as desired, according to the width of the ace.v Y a Furthermore, while we prefer to locate the heads on a reciprocating bar forming part of an element of the machine, the heads may be arranged, as shown in Fig. 8, in

which the cutter head is shown independent of the machine and in the form ofv a hand tool, so that the cutter can be used by hand,"

in examining the work, to cut ofl threads accidentally omitted by the machine, but this case, the lace, is simply stretched from one bar to anotheruwhile: beingexamined. By

stretching the lace over a space and depressing it by the cutters, the, floating threads have a tendency to rise above the surface of the lace, so that when the lace passes. under the cutters the fabric rests close against the bottom cutter while the loops are sufliciently free for the cutting blades to pass under the-m and immediately sever them.- We have found'by experience that the body of the lace will not be cut or injured by the blades but the floating threads will be entirely removed.

While we prefer to drive the cutters in oppositedirections, one at a reater speed than the other, they maybe 5 same speed,or may be driven in the same direction, one at a greater speed than the riven at the" other without departing from the main object of the invention.

We claim 1. The combination, moving floating threads from fabrics, of a cutter; means for stretching the fabric; and means for rotating the cutter in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the stretched fabriclto cut the floating threads. 7

2. The combination, in mechanism for re- "moving floating threads from fabrics, of a cutter; fabric supports spaced apart; means for stretching a fabric between the supports;

and means for moving the cutter in a plane substantially parallelito the plane of the stretched fabric to sever the floating threads therefrom.

in mechanism for re-' 3. The combination, in mechanism for removing the floating threads from fabric, of a cutter; fabric supports spaced apart;-

means for stretching a fabric between the supports; means for conveying the fabric;

means for, moving the'cutterin contact with a the fabric between the supports to sever the; floating threads projecting therefrom, said cutter being rotatable in a plane substan tially parallel with the plane of the fabric.

4. The combination, in mechanism for re.-

means for stretching the fabric to raise the movement between the cutterand the fabric.

5.. The combination, in mechanism for removing floating threads from fabrics, of means for conveying affabric; meansfor stretching. the fabric transversely to the 'direction of and'durin'g said conveying -mo ve-- moving floating threads from a fabric,-of

ment; acutter'; and means for. rotatingsa'id cutter in a plane substantially parallel with the planeoft-he stretched fabric to cut and :remove the floating threads of the fabric; construction may not be necessary. In this 6. The combination in'mechanism for re moving floating threads from fabrics; .of means spaced apart for supporting a width of fabric therebetween; a cutter; with means for moving the cutter in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of-the fabricand operable upon-the latter'betwecn the supporting means to sever threads.

the said floating 7. The combinatiomin mechanism for removing floating threads from fabrics, of a positions to be engaged for rotating the cutter in a plane substantiallyparallel to that of the fabric; means for stretching the fabric to raise the floating threads into position to be engaged by the blades; means for conveying the fabric in the said plane; and means for moving the cutter in a direction transverse to that of the conveying movement of the fabric.

9. The combination, in mechanism for removing floating threads from a fabric, of means for stretching'the' fabric to raise the floating threads; a plurality of cutters, each including two knives respectively rotatable in planes substantially parallel with the plane of the stretched fabric; means for independently rotating the knives; and means for causing relative movement between the cutter and the fabric.

10. The combination, in mechanism for removing the floating threads from fabrics, of fabric supports spaced apart; two spindles, one mounted within the other; cutters respectively mounted on said spindles and arranged one above the other; and means for rotating one cutter at a greater speed than the other, each cutter being operable upon the fabric between the supports and in a plane substantially parallel to the fabric.

11. The combination in mechanism for removing floating threads from a fabric; of

means for stretching the fabric to raise the floating threads; a cutter consisting of two rotary blades; means for simultaneously driving the blades in opposite directions; and means for traversing the cutter over the fabric.

12. The combination in mechanism for cutting floating threads from fabrics; of

means for holding the fabric; a bar; means for reciprocating the bar; a cutter head having bearings for two sets of spindles, each set of spindles consisting of a hollow and a solid spindle and each spindle having a cutter at its lower end; the cutters being arranged in pairs; with gearing by which the cutters of each set are independently driven; a spring for forcing the cutter of each set in contact; and means for driving the upper cutters at a greater speed than the lower cutters.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN O. REHFUSS. ARTHUR BURGESS. JOHN G. REHFUSS.

i Witnesses WM. E. seem, WM. A. BARR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained 1'01 five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

